The Carrot Tops Allotment Blog!

No kitchen would be complete without a herb garden and fresh herbs can really make the difference to a dish. It was quite awesome because I managed to get my lovely girlfriend, Monika interested in growing your own. She took the initiative to make a herb garden and sow eight different herbs in a long container.  Herbs are great and each of them has their own health benefits – they’re also incredibly easy to grow and anyone can do it!

Oregano
Can treat respiratory tract disorders, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, menstrual cramps, and urinary tract disorders. Oregano can help treat a number of skin conditions including acne and dandruff. Oregano is a great source of fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin E and calcium.

Rocket
Rocket, otherwise known as arugula contains very high nitrate levels. Nitrates have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise and enhance athletic performance – Rocket by name, rocket by nature.

Sage
If you’re looking to lose some weight, get on the Sage as it lowers blood glucose and cholesterol. Astonishingly, more recently an Alzheimer’s study was carried out over 4 months, measuring the influence of Sage on cognition. Patients showed an improvement and other experiments have shown positive results in the young people’s memories when given Sage.

Basil
Basil is a great vitamin A and antioxidants that improve the health of your blood vessels. Healthy blood vessels lower cholesterol, reduce the chances of heart attacks, and strokes.  Basil also contains iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, vitamin C and potassium.

Chives
Chives contain potassium, iron and calcium, vitamins A and C. If you have a cold then vitamin C, chives may help with a stuffy nose and colds over the winter period., and folk remedies recommend it for such. If you’re a little bit on the windy side, chives can help ease stomach issues and stimulate digestion.

Coriander
Coriander reduces cholesterol, in particular, bad cholesterol that builds up along the veins and arteries – this of course reduces the chances of having you experiences a heart attack or a stroke.  Coriander also has antirheumatic and antiarthritic properties.

Mint
Great with potatoes, peas and mojitos! Mint aids in digestion which is why it can be seen with an appetizer as well as your ice cream. Homemade mint tea can help you when you feel sick and offer you some relief.

Parsley
Parsley is a great source of Vitamin C, B 12, K and A and this is good news for your immune system and nervous system, too. Parsley is also great neutraliser, so if you’ve had a spicy curry or a tonne of garlic, have some parsley to clean your pallet.